


tea and poetry

by sourdough_pup



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, M/M, Overstimulation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:48:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25861585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sourdough_pup/pseuds/sourdough_pup
Summary: What truly convinced Tony that maybe Harley and Peter would last was finding Harley making tea.
Relationships: Harley Keener/Peter Parker
Comments: 10
Kudos: 256





	tea and poetry

Tony had been hesitant when Harley and Peter had first started dating. Not because he had a problem with either boy dating or anything so plebeian as them both being boys, but Harley was brash and Peter was awkward and sometimes Tony worried they'd both end up hurt. He didn't tell either of them this, of course, and he had warmed to the idea the more he'd watched them together. What had really convinced him, though, was how Harley handled Peter's sensory issues.

Peter had told Tony years ago that even before the spider bit he had trouble with over-stimulation at times and the changes had dialed that up to 11. Improved hearing, better vision, and on top of that his Spidey Sense. Tony knew Peter had set up something in his room at the tower to help him manage it when he needed it, but he never really knew the details until he stumbled on Harley making tea one afternoon when he went searching for a snack after too long in the lab.

Harley was just as much a coffee person as Tony. He had watched the teen try tea once and laughed for 5 minutes straight at the face he made. So when he walked into the kitchen and Harley had the kettle on the stove and tea supplies out, he was understandably baffled.

“Harley?” Tony asked, his surprise coloring his voice. “What are you doing?”

Harley looked at the kettle and tea supplies, then back at Tony. “What does it look like I'm doing, old man?”

Tony rolled his eyes. “It _looks_ like you're making tea, but the last time you accidentally drank from Peter's mug, you gagged so hard I thought you were going to throw up.”

“Well yea, it's not for _me._ ” Harley told him. “It's for Peter.”

“Ah, of course. Where is he, anyway?”

The kettle chose that moment to whistle, so Harley turned back tot he stove as he answered. “He's in his closet.”

“Kid, neither of you have been in the closet for years.”

“Not _the_ closet, _his_ closet.”

“His closet?” Tony was completely lost now, maybe it was some new slang he hadn't heard yet.

Harley turned back to him with an odd look and a full mug. “You know, the closet in his room? Where he goes when he gets overstimulated?”

Tony blinked. That made a surprising amount of sense. All the walls in the Tower were soundproofed to the best of his ability, but Peter's enhanced sense meant he could often hear things going on in other rooms anyway. His room was far enough away from the rest of the living space to be quiet and the closet had no windows so it would be nice and dark as well. “Oh, yeah. He ok?”

Harley shrugged, managing not to spill the tea. “As much as he can be. School was just a lot today, so I'm making his tea while he gets settled there. He should be good by dinner.”

“Alright.” Tony said as Harley made his way to the door. “Let me know if you two need anything.”

“Will do.”

Tony returned to his original goal of making himself a snack since he missed lunch, mulling over how much the two supported each other in little ways. Peter making sure they got southern food on occasion, Harley keeping Peter company in when he got hurt or May worked nights , Peter joining Harley on his weekly video calls with his family. Tony hadn't realized Peter had set up a retreat in his closet, but Harley clearly did and found a way to help with that. “Friday, keep an eye on them and let me know if they need anything.”

“Of course, boss.”

“And don't let me miss dinner.”

-

Harley set the mug of tea down next to the door, but didn't bother to say anything. Peter would have heard the door open and close when he got back. He left it there and settled into the extremely comfortable, over-sized arm chair that Peter kept in his room for reading and winding down at night. When Peter was feeling sensitive but not overstimulated, sometimes they would cuddle in the closet, but when it was this intense, even that was too much. As long as Harley was quiet, though, Peter didn't mind if he waited here. Harley knew Peter could take care of himself, but he felt better being nearby in case he needed something. The tea was another thing they had figured out that Harley could to to help. He didn't need the chamomile tea, but it helped. Harley getting it meant he didn't have to brave the noise and chaos of the common spaces, but he got his tea and Harley felt useful.

Peter would spend anywhere from 20 minutes to a few hours in the closet depending on how intense things felt to him. Harley was getting better at guessing how long he'd be in there and he suspected Peter would be out within the hour. Luckily, Harley had a reading to do for English he could work on while he waited.

It was almost exactly an hour later Harley heard the closet door open again. He looked up to see Peter shuffling out with a soft blanket draped over his shoulders, now empty tea mug cradled in his hands.

“Hey darlin',” he said softly. “Feeling better?”

Peter gave him a small smile. “Yeah.” He set the mug on his bedside table and walked over to Harley, who scooted over in the chair. He held his arm out and Peter curled up next to him, resting his head on Harley's shoulder. “Whatcha reading?”

“Those poems Mrs. B assigned.” Harley explained as he pulled Peter closer.

“Mmm. Read to me?”

Harley smiled softly. “Of course. _Because I could not stop for death...._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> The poem at the end is the beginning of Emily Dickenson's Because I Could Not Stop For Death.


End file.
